Overhead carrier



OVERHEAD CARRIER 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Jan. 5, 1951 Forresf E JohnstonINVENTOR.

g 1952 F. E. JOHNSTON 2,603,164

OVERHEAD CARRIER Filed Jan. 5, 1951 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Fig. 4. 5

- /4 Fig.5

Forrest E. Johnston INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 26, 1952 UNITED STATES PATIENT FFI M' Forrest E. Johnston,South Gate, Calif. Application January 5, 1951,.Serial No. 204,629

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in overheadcarriers designed particularly for use in meat'packing plants tofacilitate the handling, weighing and moving the meat products from onedepartment of the packing plant to another, or for the delivery ofarticles to a loading platform.

An important object of the invention is to provide an overhead carrierincluding a frame provided with a wheel at its upper end for travellingon an overhead track and supporting a basket at the lower end of theframe provided with locking means for holding the basket in a horizontalposition and which may release the basket for swinging into a verticalposition whereby the baskets may be nested for storing in a compactform, whennot in use.

A further object is to provide a device of this character of simple andpractical construction which is eflicient and reliable in use, strongand durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise welladapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 33of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing the baske swung into a Verticalposition;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;and,

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose ofillustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of, the invention,the numeral 5 designates a substantially U-shaped inverted frameincluding a pair of legs 6 having converging upper ends I united witheach other by a plate 8.

A hanger bracket 9 of strap metal is formed with a horizontal flange Illat its lower end positioned on top of plate 8 and swivelly connectedthereto for horizontal swinging movement of the frame 5 by means of aheaded pin ll having a nut 12 threaded at its lower end.

The upper end of bracket 9 is formed with an inverted U-shaped yoke ISin the sides of which a shaft I4 is supported and on which a wheel l5Claims (01. 105M242).

is: rotatably mounted for travelling on an overehead. track or rail I6.

The lower ends of legs 6" are formed with eyes I1 for receiving pinsIii-having; threaded inner ends I9 threaded into brackets 20 which arewelded or otherwise suitably secured to the sides of a sheet metalbasket 2| at the upper side edges thereof and substantially mid-waybetween the ends of the basket. The outer ends of pins I8 are formedwith head 22 to hold the eyes i! thereon.

The upper edges of basket 2i are formed with an outwardly rolled flange23 and on top of which I a U-shaped catch 24 is swingably'mounted forinward and outward swinging movement adjacent each leg 6 of frame 5 bymeans of a bearing 25 welded or otherwise secured on top of the flange23 and whereby the basket is locked to the frame 5 to hold the basket ina horizontal suspended position at the lower ends of the frame.

One end of basket 2| is open and formed at its open end with anoutwardly projecting flange 26 at each side of the basket and with theouter edges of the flanges sloping toward. notches 21 to form cams onwhich the legs 6 ride to enter 25 the notches when the basket is swunginto a vertical position, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings.

In the operation of the device the basket 2| is locked in its horizontalposition by swinging the U-shaped catches 24 outwardly to straddle thelower ends of legs 6 of frame 5 and articles may then be loaded into thebasket and transported from place to place on the overhead rail or track16.

When it is desired to store the baskets, th catches 24 are swunginwardly to release the legs 6 of the frame and the basket is then swunginto a vertical position with its open end uppermost. The legs ride onthe cams at the edges of the flanges and are sufliciently resilient toflex and enter the notches 21 of flanges '26 to thus lock the basket inits vertical position and the baskets may then be nested and stored incompact form in the manner indicated in Figure 5.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully compreof the frame for swinging thebasket vertically into either a horizontal or a vertical position, andcatch means carried by the basket respectively adjacent its pivotedportion and at an end portion and engaging the frame to selectively holdthe basket in either a horizontal or a verticalv position.

4 the frame for holding the basket in a horizontal position.

3. An overhead carrier comprising an inverted U-shaped frame including apair of leg portions and having a wheel at the upper portion of theframe adapted for travelling on an overhead track, a rectangular shapedbasket pivotally connected adjacent its upper side portions to the lowerends of the legs for swinging the basket vertically into either ahorizontal or a vertical position, and a U-shaped catch pivotallycarried by the basket adjacent its pivoted portion and adapted tostraddle an adjacent leg to hold the basket in a horizontal position.

2. An overhead carrier comprising an inverted U-shaped frame having awheel at its upper end adapted for travelling on an overhead track, a.

rectangular shaped basket pivotally connected adjacent its upper sideportions to the lower ends of the frame for swinging the basketvertically FORREST E. JOHNSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number

